Here are some high points to hit in franchise disclosure documents

Becoming a franchisee can be a daunting challenge. The prospect of slogging through a franchise disclosure document, which all franchisors, including Tint World®, must provide prospective owners per Federal Trade Commission regulations doesn’t help matters much.

There is a lot of boilerplate, though, and some sections merit more scrutiny than others. Here’s a quick look at the most important sections of a financial disclosure document to consider should you decide to begin the process of becoming a franchisee of Tint World® or other business.

Royalties/Fees: This section stipulates exactly what fees franchisees will need to pay. Digest this section carefully, as you will be responsible for paying these fees should you become an owner.

Initial investment: Just like the fees section, this is especially important. FDDs need to provide a high and low end of how much franchisees will need to provide up front and how much working capital will be needed.

Territory: You need to pay careful attention to this section, too, as the franchisor may – or may not – guarantee exclusive territory to a franchisee.

Sales: If there is no section on franchise profitability or expenses, request it, as it is not required for inclusion in an FDD.

Finances: Franchisors must provide three years of audited statements, including cash flow and balance and income reports.

Contracts: Any documents or agreements you will need to sign before finalizing your franchise agreement need to be included in the FDD.

Franchising can be a very profitable and rewarding endeavor. It can be complicated, however, and if you lack legal or business experience, you will likely want an attorney or accountant to walk you through the FDD and any other contractual items.

Download the Tint World® franchise kit if you are interested in pursuing a deal with one of the largest tinting, after-market and car accessories franchises in the country.

Our extensive franchisee support processes set us apart

“If you can dream it, you can achieve it.”

This is the message we want to convey to our owners, and it’s appropriate this quote is attributed to Walt Disney. Our upcoming February conference in Orlando at the Swan/Dolphin Hotel will outline the many ways Tint World® corporate can help our franchisees achieve their dreams of business success.

As always, this year’s conference will include a host of training programs and seminars for our owners, who are the backbone of our franchise success.

Here is a quick look at ways Tint World® helps our owners:

A commitment to constant support and communication with our franchisees. If you need to pick up the phone, for whatever reason, we’ll always answer.

We will help you identify and assess the best potential site for your franchise location.

We provide constant business and operational support, as well as store-specific marketing and promotional materials.

Tint World® owners enjoy national online marketing, social media, and public relations efforts, as well as ongoing search-engine optimization benefits to ensure their store is top of mind for customers.

Our buying power and scale allows our franchisees to obtain products and merchandise at drastically lower prices that provide an instant boost to your gross margins.

Our corporate-level relationships with respected international brands ensures owners have access to the most cutting-edge products, technologies and services.

Tint World® franchisees undergo extensive training at our Florida headquarters before opening their stores. An experienced member of our operations staff will work with you prior to, during, and after your opening.

“If you can dream it, you can achieve it.” Are you ready to fly to new heights with a Tint World® franchise? Download our Tint World® franchise kit today.

Tint World® can help you catch those cars, which are cash cows

Don’t curse all those cars on your commute. Look at them as cash cows, instead. They all need maintenance, accessories, and repair and styling services.

When people think of the American automobile industry, they tend to think of cars rolling off assembly lines or sitting in dealership lots. But what they don’t think about is the $270 billion aftermarket industry, and that includes the services provided by Tint World® franchisees across the country. The aftermarket employs 4 million people.

While there is a lot of talk about declining demand of cars because of ride-sharing – and even car-sharing – and the rebirth of center cities, there are still a lot on the road (think back to that commute this morning).

Many cars on the road are getting older, requiring more maintenance and cosmetic care. The aftermarket value of cars more than eight years old is $77 million. That’s a lot of money to be made.

Despite the glut of older cars, the national fleet continues to grow (260 million vehicles were registered in the U.S. in 2015, and that number continues to increase).

New cars are becoming increasingly sophisticated in terms of digital and electronic features, and Tint World franchisees can repair and replace those bells and whistles. Tinting services, audiovisual and safety features will also continue to be in demand in the aftermarket industry,

New cars are increasingly expensive, and consumers want to keep them in tip-top shape and appearance. This means high demand for glass replacement and repair; paint protection; and restorative services.

Social media and texting make it easier to entice customers in for specials, or recommended services such as oil changes.

The numbers don’t lie. Cars are an ingrained part of American life, and will remain so for the foreseeable future. Cars and entrepreneurship are ingrained in the American psyche, and good franchising practices and a willingness to learn and adapt mean the twain will meet for years to come.

Opportunities abound for continuing franchisee education.

There’s no rest for the wicked, and there’s definitely no rest for the successful.

Franchise owners need to perpetually build and maintain their momentum, and part of that comes through continuing education.

Here are five pointers for staying at the top of your game:

If you don’t have a bachelor’s degree, consider getting one via night school or online classes. The thought of the extra workload may make you choke, but educational credentials increase your value and representation. You can also check out noncredit courses available at area community colleges or universities. Again, it’s all about adding value to

Take advantage of any educational or training sessions made available by your franchisor. Tint World® franchisee life begins with an intensive three-week course at the Boca Raton, Florida headquarters, but don’t stop there – you’re literally just getting started. Attend every industry conference you can, and make sure you attend the annual Tint World® You might be amazed at what you can learn from your fellow franchisors, many of whom took the same risks and face the same challenges.

Beyond conferences, Tint World® offers franchisees ongoing support that includes online training; regional workshops; research and development support; online learning; certification; specialized training sessions and supplier support programs. We will never stop teaching if you never stop learning.

Embrace your competitors and learn what kind of continuing education their corporate offices offer. Then pursue the same training and courses.

Read up on your industry and best business practices, or maybe biographies of business people you admire. Keep a book in your car so you can knock out a few pages while eating lunch or another piece of infrequent downtime. You can also get books on CD or via streamed devices. Here’s a list of famous franchise titles that are considered must-reads in the industry.

One more thing: Good leaders will share their knowledge with their employees. Let your best and brightest attend some conferences or workshops with their bosses. Learning is contagious, and learning is important to your business and personal growth.

Keep your brand active, and your spirits up

It’s not uncommon for franchise and retail businesses of all types to slow down soon after the retail rush of the holiday season subsides.

January, February and March are traditionally slow months for sales and customer traffic, but there are ways to boost business before the brighter days of spring and summer.

Lengthen the holidays. Maintain the holiday momentum as long as you can. Customers may return gifts soon after Christmas. Sell them new products with targeted markdowns.

Step up your social media game. Get creative. Consider hiring a professional public relations firm to handle your social media platforms. Lure customers to your shop with one-day specials or other promotions you can trumpet on social media.

Plan ahead. You know when your business is up, and when it’s down. Prepare for the short-term financial downturn ahead of time with a rainy-day fund and possible staffing shifts.

Tout new products. If one of your vendors rolls out a new product, especially early in the year, promote it to get customers to your store.

Get involved. The slower winter season is a good time to step up networking with local chambers of commerce and other business or trade organizations. Attend conferences to promote your brand.

Get personal. Call some of your best customers of the past year and thank them for their support and invite them in for a cup of coffee. Based upon their prior purchases, gently pitch some new products they may be interested in. Some of our Tint World stores have had great success hosting or being involved in their local cars and coffee outfit.

The most important advice: Stay positive. Slowdowns are part of business, and should be part of your planning process. Remember: This too shall pass. Click here for more information about Tint World® franchises or download our franchise kit today.

Check out the top 10 reasons to buy a franchise:

By Charles Bonfiglio

Striving for new goals is a way to motivate yourself out of the current economic funk. For many people, these goals include the desire to start their own business and become the master of their destiny. Franchising can fit very well into that picture.

Here are the top 10 reasons to pursue a franchise opportunity if you want to own your own business:

Track record of success. Any good franchise company has developed a method of doing business that works well and produces results. Even better, they’re required to provide you with a great deal of information in their required disclosures so you can investigate and verify the results with existing franchisees prior to making your final decision.

Strong brand. One of the biggest advantages of franchising is that the company is building a brand on a regional or national basis that should have value in the eyes of customers you’re trying to attract.

Training programs. A good franchise company has training programs designed to bring you up to speed on the most successful methods to run the business. The company should also have reference materials to assist you in dealing with whatever comes up while you’re running your business.

Ongoing operational support. Franchise companies have staff dedicated to providing ongoing assistance to franchisees. You’re not alone when you’re building and running your business, and you can always call on experienced people when you hit a rough spot or want to share new ideas for growing the business.

Marketing assistance. The franchise company has marketing assistance to provide you with proven tools and strategies for attracting and retaining customers. Usually, the staff helps you develop the actual marketing plans and budgets for your grand opening as well as your ongoing efforts to market your business effectively.

Real estate assistance. Most franchises have manuals and other documentation, as well as staff, to help you find the right site and negotiate the best possible deal. This is a very important advantage that can hold costs down and provide the best possible chance of success in any site-driven business.

Construction assistance. Franchise companies can also provide a benefit in helping you design the layout of the business and selecting the right contractors to do your build out, as well as making sure you get the exact mix of furniture and equipment you need to maximize the efficiency of your initial investment.

Purchasing power. A good franchise can take advantage of the buying power of the entire system to negotiate prices for everything you need at significantly lower levels than you could achieve as an independent operator. This applies not only to initial furniture and equipment purchases, but also to the supplies, inventory, uniforms and everything else you’ll need on an ongoing basis.

(and 10) Risk avoidance. This one is so important that we’ll call it both 9 and 10! The biggest reason to buy a franchise is that, if you’re smart, it will help you avoid much of the risk of starting a new business.

Use your page as an advertising billboard. Make sure you utilize the space afforded your brand on your page. Make sure you have a dynamic cover and profile photo that mentions your business name. Change it up regularly. Research and take advantage of special business features and make sure all of your contact information is kept updated.

Post good content. Consider hiring a professional public-relations agency to provide relevant and plentiful content for your page. Original photos and videos are also popular on Facebook. Link wisely, and only follow appropriate pages. Update your Facebook presence as often as possible.

Give shout-outs. Tag good customers or products in posts; people like to be recognized, and individual brands and products you may carry can also be tagged in Facebook now.

Choose your audience. There are multiple groups and communities devoted to a range of topics. Join or engage with groups that might especially appreciate or be interested in your product or business. You can also build your own Facebook audience by following customer and employee Facebook pages.

If your business doesn’t have an active Facebook page, you are already far beyond the 8-ball. Get your page up to snuff and current. It’ll help you generate business and you may find you “like” it.

The season can tilt you toward profit, or send you over the edge

For small business owners such as Tint World franchisees, it can also be the most stressful time of the year.

But you are not alone, and there are many proven steps to reduce the tension and stress that can redline during the busy holiday season.

Keep a running list of reasonable tasks to consult and complete. This will prevent you from spinning gravel and mistaking motion for progress. It can also give you satisfaction when you cross off an accomplishment.

Bring order. Having a tidy and organized home, store and office can bring you peace of mind and a sense of control. Disorderly environments foster more chaos. It’s also helpful to not have relatively mundane housekeeping chores on your to-do list.

Be nice. It’s always tempting to lash out when you are under stress or your temper is short. It’s important to tame your temper and avoid an outward exhibition of stress. Difficult employees and customers can sense your anxiety, and that makes you an even more tempting target for the negative people in your life. Small acts or words of kindness can make you feel better. Altruism is a positive evolutionary trait ingrained in our psyches.

Be present. Tend to the pressing matters at hand rather than obsessing or worrying about future tasks. One way to put yourself in the moment is to practice deep breathing exercises a few times a day.

Get some rest. Sleep deprivation only exacerbates stress. Burning the midnight oil can help in the short-term, but sleep debt builds quickly, with shocking interest rates.

Avoid multitasking. More experts agree that multitasking is actually impossible. It spreads your brainpower and focus too thin. See No. 1 above. Make a list and focus on one task at a time.

Remember that the holiday season is as much about family and friends as it is about making money. It’s an important time of year to tilt those balance sheets in the right direction, but don’t let the pursuit of profit stress you and your family to the gills.

Tint World® continues U.S. franchise traditions

One name is synonymous with American franchising: Ray Kroc. In 1954, he acquired the rights to franchise McDonald’s outside of its original California territories, and the burger behemoth began its growth spurt to the publicly traded, global brand it is today.

Tint World® followed a similar, though more muted, path: Its first location opened in Florida in 1982, and 35 years later it has more than 60 window-tinting and auto accessories stores throughout the U.S. and continues its expansion to Canada.

But there’s another familiar name that is integral to American franchising history: Benjamin Franklin. Yes, that Benjamin Franklin.

Franklin was a founder of our country as well as a franchise pioneer. He first set up an exclusive relationship with a Charleston, S.C. printer who was contractually obligated to print only materials provided by Franklin. He reached similar arrangements with printers throughout the colonies, from Lancaster, Pennsylvania to Antigua. This gave him outsized control of information and materials disseminated throughout the colonies and eventually the young United States, but it set a standard of sorts for such business operations to come.

Other franchises during the early years of the country and its settlement included government exclusivity agreements reached with the operators of stores and supply depots at federal forts and trading outposts.

Indeed, the principle of “manifest destiny” and westward expansion further fueled the expansion of franchises.

The country’s first semblance of a restaurant franchise was started by an Englishman named Frederick Harvey. He reached an agreement with the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad that allowed him to operate his Harvey House restaurants at depots every 100 miles along the 12,000-mile railroad. It technically was a chain, not a franchise, but his operating principles — standardization and quality control — became hallmarks of the modern franchise system.

Following the rise of the railroad, another technological innovation began to make its mark and shape the U.S. in its modern form: the automobile. As highways increasingly crisscrossed the country, complementary franchises followed. A&W drive-in restaurants first offered franchises in 1924; and Howard Johnson’s and White Castle soon followed.

It’s apparent that the history of American franchising is linked to the country’s technological and transportation advances, such as the rise of the railroad and conquest of the country by cars.

Will you accept the challenges?

You better be on your game, because there’s a lot more to operating a franchise than hanging out a shingle and watching customers pour in like liquid gold. If only it were that easy.

But a successful franchise can indeed be built to great heights– if you have the will and work ethic. The most successful Tint World® franchisees already know a few of these facts, but here are five challenges unique to franchising. Master these and you’ll indeed be at the top of your game.

Sustaining commitment. Franchising works because the best franchises come with a tried-and-trusted model. It is important you remain committed to the franchise model. There is little room for independence in most franchise agreements, and there’s a reason for that.

Managing personnel. As a franchise owner, the buck stops with you. That means you have to manage from top to bottom. You are responsible for ultimately overseeing all members of your team, from laborer to manager. If you aren’t a people person or natural leader, a franchisee future may not work for you.

Brand focus. You must be committed to building your brand, selling your brand, and being your brand. Keeping a tight geographic and demographic focus will make promotion and marketing easier.

Building relationships. As noted above, there is not a lot of wiggle room for free spirits in the franchise world. You need to maintain and cultivate positive relationships with both your franchisor and your customers. Your franchisor wants you to succeed.

Leadership skills are important, but first you must have a staff to lead. Unemployment across the U.S. is approaching historical lows, and that puts a crunch on employers, especially those in the service industry. One solution: Never stop recruiting. Make your expectations clear, but promote a culture and reputation that will make your franchise attractive to potential employees.